Rematch is Sloclap’s follow up to Sifu. Unlike Sifu which was a very tight martial arts single player experience, Sloclap is an online soccer game with a more arcadey vibe.
I think many people who were fans of Sifu were disappointed that this was their next endeavour. These are two very different target audiences. Luckily, I have grown up playing FIFA so having really liked Sifu, this next endeavour was actually right up my alley.
I was lucky enough to get a code to their console beta, so my thoughts here are based on playing a couple of hours on PS5. Keep in mind that it is not the final product and there were still some features missing from this test.
Game Modes
I admittedly haven’t had enough time to put into the game to get to ranked play, so I’m going off of how the quick match modes worked.
I thought that the three games modes, while different, don’t distinct enough. Sure, a 3v3 match is much quicker and requires a different style than a 5v5 match does, but this isn’t a shooter where the dynamics change a lot depending on number of people on a map. So yes, I like that when there’s more teamwork at play with more players on the field, I don’t personally think there is a meaningful enough change to move the needle.
That said, I think the game itself, although with a steep learning curve especially for FIFA players since button remapping was not yet available, is fun. End of the day, that’s what matters. I just don’t know if I see enough to keep people coming back. That said, FIFA has a huge following so maybe I’m wrong on that read.
Controls
God, this was frustrating. The muscle memory from playing FIFA for the past 20 years with the same controls was hard to fight against. It’s hard for me to comment on how the experience will be for someone new to sports or a soccer game, but it was a tough curve for me. I’ll be curious to see if people in general find it unintuitive or if it’s my bias with other games that has led to me think that.
That said, as I’ve learned it more, it’s gotten better. Certain things are still a bit of a struggle, but that’s more on me than the game. They have calibrated the way the controls work for an arcade-type game while FIFA is not that.
It was very annoying at first to not have passes or shots go where they’re supposed to and instead just following where you aim. But I think this exact aspect is what will end up separating the good players from the bad ones (and I’m admittedly still in the latter group).
The issue I could foresee and have seen already though is that this type of control scheme and gameplay decision can lead to great players hogging the ball the whole game. Unlike a shooter where everyone can simultaneously contribute and work regardless of how others on the team are playing, there is only one ball here. It can be tough to deal with situations like that and could be what pushes certain players to one game mode over another.
It is very hard to judge this though until controller remapping is a feature I can try out.
GCReaction
I think there is enough here to be optimistic about what this could be. However, right now, I think it’s a bit too shallow as a product and the game isn’t intuitive for many of the people who might be attracted to it. Although 30 USD isn’t too steep a price, this might run into some of the same issues that other live service games have as soon as there is a price tag associated. I will give it credit for bringing a new flavour to soccer games that haven’t been revamped in decades, but it just feels like it’s lacking the depth to keep you playing this more than just something you pick up to play with some friends every now and then. I hope it proves me wrong, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it doesn’t land as well as Sifu did, but you never know with soccer fans.
